Put Your Faith in Hov

Saw this a few months back on a stoop in the West Village. Hell, if Jay was running for Pres, I can't honestly say I wouldn't vote for him. I mean, if the Governator and Jesse "The Body" Ventura could run cities and states, then why can't Hov run a full country? Oh that's right, because when he was Presidente of Def Jam, all we got was a reigning suckfest from Rihanna, Chrisette Michele got the ill brush off and Nas can't even title his album properly since S. Dot jumped ship. But I digress...

Let's get one thing straight - I went through my guzzling haterade phase with Jay-Z during that whole "Hey Papi' debacle. Since then, it's been a whirlwind of emotions that struggled with consistency. I laughed through The Blueprint 2, was humbled by The Black Album, shrugged at Kingdom Come (minus "Beach Chair" which still changes my life every time I hear it), and smiled at American Gangster. See for some reason, it all came together for me at that point.

I remember several years back I used to beat my chest at Will Smith like where the f*&$ is the Fresh Prince? I was like "Yeah yeah bienvenido a Miami, fool, get jiggy blah blah blah stick to acting," and then at the Source Awards like 5 or 6 years ago during the attack of the white tees, Will Smith got up to present an award. I breathed this huge sigh of relief, like okay thank God we have Will Smith up there to represent Hip-Hop properly. W...T...F? I didn't even recognize myself for thinking that, but you know what? It's true. Hip-Hop keeps experiencing this rapid decline during award show ceremonies, so we have to finally exhale when one of our own becomes a grown ass man and hops on stage and acts like one. Mind you, Hip-Hop is a culture built on youth. Leave it to some of the vets to prove that age builds swag. I mean Big Willy is hardly the archetype of swag, well, sorta...okay I'm trailing from my point here. Back to Hov:

Okay so I saw the "Roc Boys" video, where Mariah Carey and Cassie were wrongfully invited, and Jay did Nas a solid and invited him to smoke cigars with him and Diddy in the pool room. I believe it was around the time they were pretending to be Jewish and shouted l'chaim and broke a glass with their foot when no one was getting married. I started to get teary eyed. No, it's not because I'm Jewish and was appalled at the wrongful use of Hebrew imagery. It was because of the symbolism in the video.

Hip-Hop has always made it a point to state that the real money holders were at the tippy top of record labels and entertainment law firms. And let's be realistic - they're predominantly Jewish. I remember 50 Cent got on Hot 97 around the time he signed with Dre and Em and shouted out his lawyer and said "Jew U-nit!" So in the "Roc Boys" video, Jay is shouting them out...to the money holders, "L'chaim! I wish for you 100 years of success, but it's my time." It touched me, I can't lie. Sure there are umpteen emcees not properly paid, but at least four or five really made it. Hip-Hop made it. The money is starting to trickle down.

Which brings me to my current relationship with Jay-Z (the one in my head, people, don't have me on Concrete Loop in my pajamas for this). We've been seriously dating since "Roc Boys" and I think we're in love. He was always my friend throughout school and when he did dumb shit I rolled my eyes, but I've finally started to come around. And wowee, at the final date of the U.S. Glow in the Dark Tour, there I was 8th row in Madison Square Garden (E, I owe you my eternal friendship), when this happened:




Holy floodgates of love. Now, for those who didn't witness this piece of Hip-Hop history, I am deeply sorry. It's not everyday that Ye and Jay hop on stage during a tour (where Ye hasn't even addressed the crowd while performing) to tell everyone that there will in fact be a Blueprint III and Kanye won the producer race. Yeah, that was hot. And no offense, but no studio version of "Jockin' Jay-Z" will match that verse he spit live by surprise. I feel like Hillary dropping her flag and rolling with Obama. You were right, mayne. I was wrong. I LOVE YOU JAY-Z!!



Beyonce, you are a whole other post, because I love you too...just not...in...that...way.